Predicting breast cancer, 18 months before it presents

Predicting that one's turn getting cancer, at least adenocarcinoma of the breast, might not be as far fetched a looney corner as one might assume. 

As early as 1992 under the leadership of proff Saeffer and G Modi as part of the then Baragwanath hospital neurology team, I presented a paper that predicted breast cancer 18 months before one can radiologically visualise it as a mass, using only à bedside examination. A patella hammer, to be specific. It was not that welcome to say it out loud, more so to peers a lot higher in statue, that we have been missing cancer sign and snorting it out with bath water all that time. Doctors used to have intelligence to insult then. 

We found that Lambert Eaton mysthenic syndrome could be used as a predictor of breast cancer at probably the first few cell levels. We could radio immuno assay pinpoint the auto antibodies on the breast mass when the excision biopsy was eventually done on follow up, which then was 18 months, averaged. 

The theory is easy enough for even the barefoot doctors of yesteryear to understand. Adenocarcinoma cell, in this case of breast type induces an natural immune response that produces antibodies to hopefully eradicate the rogues. In the process though the same good intention antibodies target self at the neuromuscular cleft, resulting in what an examining doctor should hopefully pick up, 18 months before it's there. EMG confirmation made it as objective à study as any, even before any further step is taken, right onto every scientist desktop. The paraneoplastic character of LEMS is well documented, usually related to oat cell lung cancer. 

Our limited resources dictated then that we send radio immunoassay studies to London for histopathology confirmation which sort of let the cat out before slaying it.

 

I expected that someone would have done further studies on this after mass exodus from state hospitals around that time. This was no CR 17 campaign files of any sort. There was no lid slapped on it. I presented this at a neurology congress in Durban. It was published. I left Feb 1994. No rights or nothing, unlike drug companies, neither did my seniors or hospital patent or seal nothing. 

Don't you judge. I was taking home about R2000 after my bond was paid. No wonder I had a normal BMI. 

Impala hospital that poached me then was offering 8 times more, a house, plus a merc. One had to have more than a monk determination to stay, not to mention monk sexual character, or lack thereof. Add monk needs to that list.

Such doorway opening into the next interface of medicine can't be left ajar this long, not here, not internationally, not in space. It's crime to human suffering and patients dying of cancer today. They probably were flagging something loud and clear more than 5 or so years ago already. The doctor only had to be able to read the sign post. 

All we see these days are observational studies. 

These probably gives justification to my distaste for Newtonian studies. The need to go to the black hole to study one doesn't hold water. It can only lead to dearth of science. 

As technology makes strides into new frontiers, IQ seems to be in fast retreat. 

The human rights sect of medicine can't be blamed for that much paucity in almost everything. 

I should mention I was driving a Mazda then. It was going to be almost an impossible task to hand back that merc.

I should have tried a little more though. I owe myself that much honest reflection at the very least. Poverty is not an absolute excuse to jump ship, more so as a black doctor. We should have stayed not only for the  re inforcement of the state hospitals, but delay of the collective ANC IQ collapse. 

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If  biochemistry and physiology of beauty and health are the elements of every mix, then results are assured